Sports - The Daily Lobo

Phillip McDonald walks off the court after suffering an elbow injury on Saturday at The Pit during the UNM men’s basketball teams 107-62 victory over Manchester College. McDonald will miss the first two regular season games for the Lobos at home against Detroit and Arizona State.

Sports

Injury puts player on hold

Ryan Tomari | November 12

The UNM men’s basketball team won’t have a big contributor for the first two games of the regular season. Guard Phillip McDonald, who started every game last season, suffered a partially torn ligament in his elbow during the Lobos’ 107-62 exhibition win over Manchester College. Head coach Steve Alford said McDonald will be evaluated after the Lobos’ first two games. “Obviously, Phillip’s injury— there is never a good time,” Alford said.

UNM center Emily Stark rips the ball from Western New Mexico’s Shatwa Morris Tuesday at The Pit. The Lobos rolled to a 92-39 win in their
first and only exhibition game.

Sports

Questions loom despite win

Ryan Tomari | November 9

Patience is for the virtuous. After watching the UNM men’s basketball team play two home exhibitions games at The Pit, it was finally the women’s basketball team’s turn.

Sports

NCAA a new experience

Ryan Tomari | November 9

The UNM women’s soccer players are history makers. Among the team’s many accomplishments, the Lobos are making their first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament.

Sports

Senior trinity lead the way

Brandon Call | November 9

With five games left in the UNM volleyball team’s regular season, the clock is ticking for the three seniors who have been instrumental in turning the program into what it is today. Senior captains Taylor Hadfield, Lisa Meeter and Jade Michaelsen are all four-year starters and were among head coach Jeff Nelson’s first recruiting class when he took over in 2007.

Sports

It's go time or time to go home

Nathan Farmer | November 9

If there ever existed a must-win game, this weekend has a full slate of them for the UNM men’s soccer team. The third-seeded Lobos open the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament against UNLV Thursday, a team they beat twice this season — most recently in a 3-2 win in the last regular-season game.

Sports

Last-ditch digs offer sweet revenge

Brandon Call | November 7

This time wasn’t like last time. After dropping a 3-0 decision to TCU on the road Oct. 8, the UNM volleyball team steamrolled the Horned Frogs 3-0 Friday at Johnson Center. It was UNM’s fifth straight win, moving it into second place in the Mountain West Conference at 16-8 overall and 8-3 in conference, while TCU dropped to 13-12 over and 4-7 in the MWC. “We all got together before the game and decided that we weren’t going to lose this one,” senior setter Jade Michaelsen said.

UNM’s Jamal Fenton attempts a layup as teammate Curtis Dennis watches in the background Saturday. Fenton scored a game-high 23 points as the Lobos defeated Manchester College. 107-62 at The Pit.

Sports

Outlook bright after win No. 2

Shaun Griswold | November 7

The lights finally went out during the UNM men’s basketball team’s player introductions, and the Lobos team kept Division III Manchester College in the dark. Coming off the bench, point guard Jamal Fenton directed the Lobos’ offense into high gear.

UNM defensive end Jaymar Latchison celebrates with teammates and fans at University Stadium. The Lobos defeated Wyoming 34-31 on Saturday for UNM’s first win of the season.

Sports

FINALLY--Lobos show up for four quarters in first win

Nathan Farmer | November 7

The UNM football team celebrated like it had won the BCS National Championship. Students leapt over rails, darting onto the field after kicker James Aho’s 38-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired against Wyoming on Saturday at University Stadium.

The UNM football team’s placeholder Ben Skaer places the football for Lobo kicker James Aho on Saturday. The 38-yard attempt was good as time expired and the Lobos defeated Wyoming 34-31 at University Stadium.

Sports

FINALLY!--Kicker rekindles coach's hopes in dramatic fashion

Isaac Avilucea | November 7

The player who fanned the “fire Mike Locksley” flames by supposedly agreeing with a Facebook post encouraging UNM to go winless doused them just as quickly Saturday night at University Stadium.

UNM tight end Lucas Reed catches a pass over SDSU defensive back Andrew Preston in the Lobos’ home loss to the Aztecs 30-20. UNM hosts Wyoming this Saturday at University Stadium.

Sports

On-and-off field injuries dampen hopes for win

Ryan Tomari | November 4

The UNM football team has two home games left and maybe one last chance to avoid a looming possibility: an 0-12 season. The Lobos host Wyoming on Saturday at University Stadium, before heading to Air Force and BYU and returning home to host national powerhouse TCU at the season finale. Head coach Mike Locksley said UNM’s winless streak is a result of inconsistency. “It’s tough to deal with,” he said.

Freshman outfielder Brian Smith of the UNM baseball team takes a practice swing on deck during Game 3 of the Cherry-Silver World Series at Lobo Field. The Cherry took two of three games from Silver, but Silver won 7-5 on Thursday.

Sports

Coach expects big things

Ryan Tomari | November 4

It’s early-season college baseball’s version of the Fall Classic. The UNM baseball team concluded its Cherry-Silver World Series on Thursday after a three-game set at Lobo Field. Despite losing the first two games, the Silver squad won Game 3 7-5. Head coach Ray Birmingham said he was pleased with both teams’ performance during the three-day series. “It was the same thing that I have seen all fall,” he said.

UNM forward A.J. Hardeman shields his defender on the way to the basket Tuesday at The Pit. The Lobos defeated Eastern New Mexico 80-58 in their first exhibition game.

Sports

Pit broken in with win No. 1

Ryan Tomari | November 4

The test run is done. And guess what? Thanks to a near-capacity student section, The Pit is still deafening and obnoxious to play in. Eastern New Mexico University was the first victim Tuesday night, as the UNM men’s basketball team opened the renovated Pit by holding off a smaller, yet pesky, squad 80-58 in the first of two home exhibition games for the Lobos. Head coach Steve Alford said the only thing he didn’t like was UNM’s free-throw shooting.

Sports

Youngsters ready for season

Levi Lewis | November 1

The UNM baseball team is set for its annual Cherry and Silver World Series, Nov. 2-4 at Lobo Field.

Sports

Knee surgery sidelines center for a month

Ryan Tomari | October 29

For Drew Gordon, it was an injury that sounded scarier than it turned out to be. The UCLA transfer had surgery Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Head basketball coach Steve Alford paces the sideline inside The Pit during a 2009-10 game. Alford said he is preparing his team to play two exhibition games, starting with Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday.

Sports

Alford gears up to start season in new Pit

Ryan Tomari | October 29

It’s gone from months down to weeks, and now it’s only days away. The UNM men’s basketball team is ready to defend its back-to-back Mountain West Conference regular-season championships.

Wide receiver Chris Hernandez evades San Diego State cornerbacks Leon McFadden, No. 2, and Nate Berhe during Saturday’s 30-20 loss. The Lobos, 0-7 overall, travel to Colorado State on Saturday.

Sports

Will this year's result resemble last year's?

Chris Fernandez | October 29

The good news: Last year, UNM beat Colorado State 29-27 in its only win of the season. The bad news: This year, the Rams, 2-6, are improved. The Lobos, 0-7 and searching for their first win, travel to Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday. Head coach Mike Locksley said UNM is coming off its strongest performances of the year, a 30-20 loss to San Diego State at University Stadium. “I think our guys expect to get the best from Colorado State,” Locksley said.

Sports

Player didn't make the grade

Ryan Tomari | October 26

No more than a week after being reinstated, sophomore running back Demond Dennis was dismissed from the UNM football team. Head coach Mike Locksley said Tuesday that Dennis had recurring academic issues.

Sports

'Old' coach retools culture

Ryan Tomari | October 26

Jeff Nelson just wants to talk about volleyball — nothing more, nothing less. The fourth-year head volleyball coach is on the cusp of a tremendous accomplishment: his 500th college match as a head coach. But when Sports Information Director Frank Mercogliano reminded Nelson about that piece of trivia, Nelson tried to dodge the topic with a clever quip. “So old,” he said.

Kate Wyrick attacks BYU’s goal at the UNM Soccer Complex on Oct. 16. The Lobos have earned at least a share of the Mountain West Conference regular-season championship. They can win the title outright by beating TCU on Saturday.

Sports

No longer nationally neglected

Ryan Tomari | October 26

Sure, the UNM women’s soccer team is well-aware of the significance of Saturday’s game, but there’s no sense in stressing about it. The Lobos, currently 11-1-4, tied Wyoming 1-1 tie Sunday in Laramie, Wyo., extending their undefeated streak to nine games.

Sports

Dennis booted off team

Isaac Avilucea | October 26

UNM tailback Demond Dennis was kicked off the team for academic reaasons, Lobo head football coach Mike Locksley announced at his weekly news conference Tuesday. Because of inattention to academics, Dennis, a sophomore from Atlanta, played in just one play against UTEP on Oct.